TIP #73: The 10 Commandments of Drawing for Kids (and Adults!)
The 10 Commandments of Drawing for Kids are a set of truths so universal they apply to every artist no matter their age. These are the basics that form the foundation of any drawing practice.
Of course there will always be more to learn (new styles, techniques, etc.), but these concepts are the “non-negotiables”. Encourage your students to adopt these 10 Commandments for Drawing, and watch their art ability soar!
The 10 Commandments of Drawing for Kids
1. Pay attention.
This is probably the most important thing any artist can do. I’m not talking about “paying attention” as in “listening to the teacher during class”, although that’s important, too! I’m talking about being aware and noticing.
When we become more aware of our surroundings, noticing details, and seeing relationships between objects, we call that “seeing like an artist”. But this kind of awareness is more of a lifestyle, or way of being, than something to do just during Art class.
“Seeing like an artist”
Seeing like an artist means looking at a complex object or scene and seeing the combination of shapes and lines that form it. It means perceiving nuances of color, shape, relationship, and size. It means observing things with more intention and care than the average person normally does.
Paying attention is a mindset that will serve kids well, not only in their art, but throughout their lives.
2. Look more at your subject than your paper.
This feels counter-intuitive at first, but to draw accurately, it’s essential to spend more time looking at your subject than your drawing.
When you focus mainly on your paper, it’s easy to end up with a stereotype, or caricature, of what you’re drawing. If a cartoon style illustration isn’t your goal, you can avoid this by focusing more on your subject than on your drawing.
A great way to practice this is with blind contour drawing, where you don’t look at your paper at all! You can read more about blind contour drawing here.
3. Draw with a “light touch” until you’re sure your marks are where you want them.
It can be so frustrating to try to erase something in a drawing only to find out you pressed too hard when you drew it . Then the “ghost” of those original lines is there to stay no matter how much erasing you do.
My remedy for that is to begin each drawing session with a “Circle Challenge”. This is a quick activity to get kids loosened up and drawing with a “light touch”.
Give each student a piece of copy paper and have them draw as many circles as they can, as lightly as they can. After one minute, ask them to stop and put a check mark inside their lightest circle. Then choose a “winner” with the lightest circle in the class. You can read more about this very effective activity here!
4. Draw what you see, not what you think you should see.
When drawing from life, look for simple shapes (both positive and negative) in the objects or scene you want to draw. Try not to be influenced by your memory of the thing you’re drawing, or what you think it looks like.
Avoid “naming” the thing that you’re drawing, as you draw it. For example, if you’re drawing a tree, try not to think about it being a “tree” while you’re drawing it. Instead think only about the lines, shapes, relationships, and other visual clues you see.
Drawing from memory (or imagination) can be fun, but for accuracy, you’re always better off to draw from your subject in real life. And remember to spend more time looking at your subject than your paper!
5. Look for the “negative space” between things.
Looking closely at the negative space between things is especially helpful when drawing anything complicated. Whether you’re drawing a single object or an entire scene, the negative spaces form unique shapes of their own. These negative shapes offer a type of “scaffolding” for constructing the positive shapes around them.
Negative shapes, or spaces, are all around us and it’s easy to train your eye to see them. Be on the lookout and make a game of it. A negative shape “scavenger hunt” is a fun, quick activity when you have any amount of extra time to spare.
Have students take turns calling out negative shapes they see around them in the classroom or outside. Or, you could draw a negative shape you see in a painting and have students try to “find” it. They’ll be amazed how many negative shapes they can find when they really try to look!
6. Use the “Drawing Alphabet”.
The Drawing Alphabet consists of different types of lines – straight, angled, curved, wavy, zigzag, etc. A drawing is made by combining these lines into open and closed shapes to form a picture.
This is similar to writing our A-Z alphabet, where different lines are put together to form letters and then words. I like to say, “If you can write your name you can learn to draw!”
Drawing from life is about translating what you see in 3D into the 2D language of lines and shapes. While there are no real lines around things, you can train your eye to see edges and interpret them as lines and shapes.
7. Be willing to make mistakes.
When kids aren’t afraid to make a mistake, they become more willing to try different things and challenge themselves. Seeing mistakes as an avenue for learning will help kids develop a growth mindset.
Teachers can help kids become more comfortable with making mistakes by setting a good example of this themselves. Being transparent about your own mistakes, rather than embarrassed by them, will go far in normalizing mistakes as opportunities for learning.
8. Compare your work only to your own, and not to the work of others.
Remember, there is no “one right way” to draw. Similar to how each person’s handwriting is unique, everyone’s drawing style will be a little different, too. Understanding this helps kids learn to honor and appreciate their differences.
It’s easy for kids to fall into the trap of envying others they perceive as being better at something than they are. Or worse yet, to make fun of someone or their work just for being “different”.
With encouragement, kids can learn to compare their work only to their own, and not to others. This is an important step toward a more inclusive world where everyone feels valued and accepted for who they are. It’s a win-win for everyone.
9. Practice.
Forget the old adage, “Practice makes perfect,” and replace it with, “Practice makes progress,” instead. Personal growth and progress are always the goal!
Practicing builds muscle memory which plays an important role when it comes to good drawing habits. Habits like having a relaxed grip and applying light pressure with your pencil don’t develop instantly but over time.
The important skills of training your eyes to see like an artist, and translating what you see into marks on your paper, will develop with practice, too. And the improvement that comes as a result of practice is a great motivator to keep going.
10. Always keep learning.
Kids (and adults!) can learn new skills and techniques from books and videos.
When it comes to books about drawing (whether for reading, being read to, or shared through individual exercises), there are so many good ones. Here are just a few of my favorites:
Art for Kids: Drawing by Kathryn Temple
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes
Drawing for Older Children and Teens by Mona Brookes
Age appropriate YouTube videos are another great option for improving drawing skills. Try to go beyond the “How to Draw a ______” titles, and look for videos that will teach techniques you can apply to anything you want to draw. For grades 5 and up, try “The Drawing Exercise that Changed My Life” video by the Virtual Instructor.
Anyone can learn to draw, or improve the drawing skills they already have. Following these 10 Commandments for Drawing can help!
an inspiring quote
“Drawing has more to do with seeing than it does with holding a pencil in your hand.”
~ Kathryn Temple
I remember when this concept first really “clicked” for me. I was a sophomore in college and it just blew my mind. If I had heard this earlier in my education, I had no memory of it. This was the first time it really sunk in and it’s been foundational for me ever since.
Maybe this is one of those concepts you have to be “ready to learn”. But it’s so important, it’s worth sharing with your students early and often.
Learning to “see like an artist” will not only improve their drawings, it will change the way they see the world.